Restaurant will nearly double in size as Sanford Sports Complex starts other upgrades

Will’s Training Table will add a two-story expansion with multiple patios in a renovation that will nearly double its capacity at the Sanford Sports Complex.

Sanford took over the restaurant, which used to be Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, about a year ago.

At the time, it was a quick transition.

“We’ve since taken a hard look at this facility and the experience of our customers and staff and what we see as the future,” said Matt Ditmanson, director of development for the Sanford Sports Complex.

“We had a heart-to-heart with (CEO) Kelby (Krabbenhoft) and the corporate leadership team and decided we needed to expand this.”

The first phase started this week and includes taking down framework and the pergola on the patio. The east end will be enclosed, made into an event space with a roll-up garage and dubbed the tailgate area.

“We’ll remain open until mid-July, and at that time it’ll be all hands on deck,” Ditmanson said.

Then, the kitchen and interior spaces will be remodeled. When Will’s reopens in mid-August, “it will be a similar menu, with a few additions and more input from our sports nutritionists on athlete-friendly meals, and an expanded lunch salad bar and healthy-choice options,” he said.

Then, new construction on the west wing will start. The two-story addition will include walk-out patios on both levels. It will take the building’s seating capacity from 260 to 450 and allow four to five areas to host diners attending sporting events, guests for private parties and people attending business meetings.

“We talked about renovating Will’s and letting it grow as we grow out here,” said Abby Breitling, lead executive assistant for corporate leadership. “But in March, we had record-breaking numbers, and that’s only going to keep accelerating.”

When teams come to town, they often want to rent out areas for tailgating and other activities, she said.

“Each game we can design our tailgate area different and customize it for teams from youth up through college,” she said. “Our middle space is our current sports area, and that will start similar and family-friendly, but we’ll add a lot of TVs and … have more of an amped sports theme.”

The new addition will have a lodge theme with “somewhere nice to eat in a fun atmosphere right off the interstate,” she continued. “Upstairs is the signing room, which is more of a private area where we’re hoping college athletes perform signing ceremonies. It will be used for private meetings, with an upper patio outside, which Sioux Falls doesn’t have a lot of, so we wanted to bring that to the community.”

The name might be tweaked a bit, but nothing has been finalized. The plan also is to livestream games from the nearby Pentagon and offer live entertainment.

The menu will continue to be a mix of appetizer-heavy sports and comfort foods with some entrees and premium options for special events.

The new addition is scheduled to be done in mid-February.

It’s the latest in a series of construction projects planned or in progress at the complex.

Last week, Sanford broke ground on Great Shots, a new golf entertainment concept opening next fall.

Today, Lloyd Cos. held a groundbreaking for Fleet Farm, a 185,000-square-foot store opening at the sports complex in the spring.

“Everything lined up, and we are extremely happy to be here,” said Tom Carrico, Fleet Farm’s vice president of real estate and construction “It’s been a great partnership, and the ability to work together to get this thing completed is tremendous. We’re very thankful for that.”

The Fleet Farm will be the company’s first new prototype store, featuring a modern look with a lot of windows and light.

“So we try to be the one-stop shop for our customers and look forward to making that happen in Sioux Falls,” Carrico said.

The store is expected to act as an anchor in attracting other retailers.

“There’s not much you won’t be able to find there,” said Jake Quasney, Lloyd’s vice president of real estate and investments.

“It’s going to be a huge impetus to development in this part of our community, along with the Great Shots facility Sanford broke ground on last week. It’s going to be a big driver (of) future announcements.”

Sanford is making plans for other areas of the complex too.

Some of the next developments could include facilities for soccer, baseball and softball, as well as a hotel with a waterpark.

“We’re serious about that and looking for the right timing and the right partners for that,” Ditmanson said.